NBA commissioner David Stern said the field of potential buyers of the league-owned New Orleans Hornets as been whitted down to 2 or 3, and a sale could be imminent.
“I’m optimistic and hopeful that we will complete the sale by the end of the month,” stern told USA Today in an intewview at NBA headquarters in Manhattan.
“We’re talking with multiple perspective buyers, but we’re anticipating the ability to close by the end of the month,” Stern said. “We’ve had offers from seven but winnowed it down to two or three, and we’re working on it.
The league’s other 29 franchises have jointly owned the Hornets since December, 2010, when George Shinn sold his majority share. Stern acted as the de facto general manager of the team when he vetoed the proposed three-team trade that would have sent Chris Paul to the Lakers, Pau Gasol to the Rockets, and Lamar Odom, Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic and a first-round draft pick to the Hornets.
For more of USA Today writer Jeff Zilgitt’s sit-down interview with Stern, click here.